BLOWTORCHES TO HELP DOWN OBSERVATORY

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

Conceding it simply wasn't in the stars to implode a tenacious observatory at Northwestern University, a demolition company on Friday began a 24-hour-a-day effort using blowtorches to get the job done.

Ruling out any further use of explosives for safety reasons, Vincent Miller of Robinette Demolition said the dissection of the Lindheimer Observatory on NU's Evanston campus is expected to be completed Monday. For three days this week, dynamite and later, tow trucks attached to 100-ton cables failed to bring down the 30-year-old frame-supported towers.

NU officials had defended their decision to tear down the landmark, saying restoration would have cost $1 million.

Miller said Friday he couldn't estimate what the demolition will end up costing, but added, "probably a lot more than our contract."